Table tennis ball service machine

ABSTRACT

A table tennis ball service machine includes a ball-collecting unit, a control valve and a ball service mechanism. The ball-collecting unit has a ball-collecting groove connected with ping pong table and having its rear side provided with a blocking net and its lower side connected with a ball-collecting tube and a ball-feeding tube. The control valve is positioned at the lower end of the ball-collecting tube for controlling dropping of balls. The ball service mechanism connected with the upper side of the ball-feeding tube includes a ball service tube, a blower, a support frame, a universal joint, a cam and a motor. The ball serving tube has its outer end extending through the blocking net and formed with an outlet and its rear side formed with an inlet communicating with the ball-feeding tube. Thus, the ball serving speed and the angle can be controlled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a table tennis ball service machine, particularly to one able to control ball serving speeds and angles.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Taking exercises can not only promote health but also help alleviate mental tension and unhappiness. Table tennis is an activity involving a man's whole body. Playing table tennis is able to train the ability of thinking and judgment and the speed of reflexing action after thinking. In addition, playing table tennis is also able to train the reaction of the sense system and the function of the skeleton and the muscle system, strengthening the function of both the circulatory system and the respiration system. Since there are a variety of methods and tactics in playing table tennis; therefore, to play table tennis well and to be superior to others, a player has to practice the skills constantly. The technique of playing table tennis, such as strength, speeds, spinning and placement shot and the like, must be gained by constant practice. For facilitating a player to practice playing table tennis by himself, table tennis training machines have been developed and employed. However, a conventional table tennis ball service apparatus can only serve balls at a horizontal angle, impossible to serve balls in multi-directions and at different speeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to offer a table tennis ball service machine, able to serve balls in multi-directions at different speeds and also able to serve spinning balls.

The table tennis ball service machine in the present invention includes a ball-collecting unit, a control valve and a ball service mechanism. The ball-collecting unit is provided with a ball-collecting groove connected with the table. The ball-collecting groove has its rear side provided with a blocking net and its lower end connected with a ball-collecting tube having its lower end connected with a ball-feeding tube having its starting end formed with a suction opening. The control valve positioned at the lower end of the ball-collecting tube is provided with a telescopic rod having one end pivotally connected with a control member, which is pivotally combined with a positioning base by a pivot. The control member has the other end hooked with a spring, which has the other end hooked with the positioning base. The ball service mechanism assembled at the upper end of the ball-feeding tube consists of a ball service tube, a blower, a support frame, a universal rotary member, a cam and a motor. The ball service tube has its outer end inserted through the blocking net and formed with an outlet and its rear end formed with an inlet connected with the ball-feeding tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a table tennis ball service machine in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a control valve in an operating condition in the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the table tennis ball service machine in a using condition in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of a table tennis ball service machine in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a ball-collecting unit 1, a stirrer 2, a control valve 3 and a ball service mechanism 4 combined together.

The ball-collecting unit 1 is provided with a ball-collecting groove 10 connected with the table A. The ball-collecting groove 10 has its rear side provided with a blocking net 11 and its lower side connected with a ball-collecting tube 12 having its lower end connected with a ball-feeding tube 13, which has its starting end formed with a suction opening 130.

The stirrer 2 assembled at one side of the ball-collecting groove 10 and facing the upper portion of the ball-collecting groove 10 is provided with a speed-reducing motor 20 having a rotating shaft 21 extending forward horizontally from its front side and connected with a vertical stirring rod 22, which has its lower end extending into the ball-collecting groove 10.

The control valve 3 positioned at the lower end of the ball-collecting tube 12 is fixed with a telescopic rod 30 having one end pivotally connected with one end of a control member 31. The control valve 3 is assembled on a positioning base 32, and the control member 31 is pivotally combined with the positioning base 32 by a pivot 310, having the other end hooked with a spring 33, which has the other end hooked with the positioning base 32.

The ball service mechanism 4 connected the upper end of the ball-feeding tube 13 consists of a ball-serving tube 40, a blower 41, a support frame 42, a universal joint 43, a cam 44 and a motor 45. The ball-serving tube 40 has its outer end extending through the blocking net 11 and formed with an outlet 400, and its rear end formed with an inlet 401 communicating with the ball-feeding tube 13. In addition, the ball-serving tube 40 is provided with a fitting end 402 above its outlet 401 to be fitted with the blower 41. The support frame 42 is positioned at the lower side of the blower 41, the universal joint 43 is connected with the lower end of the support frame 42, the cam 44 is connected with the universal joint 43, and the motor 45 is connected with the lower end of the cam 44.

In using, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the blower 41 of the ball service mechanism 4 is started to send wind toward the ball-serving tube 40, letting the ball-feeding tube 13 produce siphon effect and suck air inward from the suction opening 130. Synchronously, the table tennis balls (B) will be sucked to move upward along the ball-feeding tube 13 and get into the ball serving tube 40 through the inlet 401 to be shot out through the outlet 400 of the ball-serving tube 40. When the ball (B) drops on the top of the table (A), the hitter will brandish the racket and hit the ball (B) back, and when the ball (B) bumps against the blocking net 11, it will rebound and drop into the ball-collecting groove 10. When the balls (B) drop down and are collected in the ball-collecting groove 10, the stirrer 2 is started to let the rotating shaft 21 of the speed-reducing motor 20 rotate and actuate the stirring rod 22 to turn around and stir the balls (B) so as to enable the balls (B) to drop into the ball-collecting tube 12 in sequence. The control member 31 of the control valve 3 functions to control blocking and dropping of the balls (B) in the ball-collecting tube 12. Normally, the balls (B) are stopped from dropping by the control member 31 pivotally connected with the telescopic rod 30. When the control member 31 is actuated to move upward by the telescopic rod 30, the balls (B) in the ball-collecting tube 12 will be released from blocking by the control member 31 and drop into the ball-feeding tube 13 to be sucked upward and shot out of the ball service tube 40 along the service route. The ball service speeds can be controlled by the control valve 3 and the ball service angles can be controlled by the ball service mechanism 4.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A table tennis ball service machine comprising: a ball-collecting unit provided with a ball-collecting groove, said ball-collecting groove connected with one end of a ping pong table, said ball-collecting groove having its rear side provided with a blocking net, said ball-collecting groove having its lower side connected with a ball-collecting tube, said ball-collecting tube having its lower end connected with a ball-feeding tube, said ball-feeding tube having its starting end formed with a suction opening; a control valve assembled at the lower end of said ball-collecting tube, said control valve provided with a telescopic rod, said telescopic rod having one end pivotally connected with a control member, said control member pivotally combined with a positioning base by a pivot, said control member having the other end hooked with a spring, said spring having the other end hooked with said positioning base; a ball service mechanism assembled at the upper end of said ball-feeding tube, said ball service mechanism composed of a ball serving tube, a blower, a support frame, a universal joint, a cam and a motor; said ball serving tube having its outer end extending through said blocking net and formed with an outlet, said ball serving tube having its rear end formed with an inlet communicating with said ball-feeding tube; and said control member of said control valve controlling blocking or delivering of the table tennis balls in said ball-collecting tube, said control member also able to control the ball serving speed, said ball-service mechanism able to control the ball serving angle.
 2. The table tennis ball service machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball-collecting groove has one side installed with a stirrer provided with speed-reducing motor having a rotating shaft extending outward horizontally from its front side, said rotating shaft of said speed-reducing motor connected with a stirring rod extending downward into said ball-collecting groove.
 3. The table tennis ball service machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball serving tube of said ball service mechanism is provided with a fitting end on said inlet, said fitting end fitted with said blower, said blower having its lower side assembled with said support frame, said support frame having its lower side connected with said universal joint, said universal joint connected with said cam, said cam connected with said motor. 